Washing line stiffness

[SunshineChick]

Yesterday, I hung a big load of my son's towels on the clothes line. It took maybe a 1 hour and they were dry! It takes that long in my dryer!! I brought them inside and put them in the dryer with a dryer sheet and in 10 minutes they were soft and smelled so wonderful! I may try it without the dryer sheet next time, since I use softener in the washing machine rinse cycle.

Today, I made laundry detergent and have my first load in the washer. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[reinbeau]

As for laundry stinking after being out on the line, I used to have that problem back when I had lots of shade in the backyard - no place for a line in the sun. If I hung anything out it took so long to dry it went a bit sour, especially thick things like towels. Also, if the laundry gets rained on and stays wet for a long time, it'll sour. Sun, sun, sun will take care of most of that.

Another problem can be using liquid detergent in your washer. I had that problem, especially with towels. The liquid detergent sometimes doesn't rinse as well as it should, and the residue causes that sour smell. I switched over to powder and rarely have that problem anymore.

 

[Cassandra]

Sun, sun, sun will take care of most of that.

I remember my grandmother, about twice a year, would take her mattress and pillows outside and put them on top of a car in the sun and let the sun shine on them all day. (obviously, she made her sons carry it out for her. LOL)

She said it sanitized them. I don't know if that's true. I just remember the smell of sunshin on her pillows. ^.^

She was always doing stuff like that (such as boiling her dishes and washing them with bleach.) She had TB when she was younger and spent some time in a sanitorium. I guess that is where she got to be so ticky about sanitation.

Cassandra

 

[kenman]

I don't mean to usurp your thread, but I am looking for a recipe for home aid laundry detergent. Can anyone help? I have been hanging out clothes every chance I get. I love the smell and the feel. My mom used to put out the mattress's and pillows for "airing out." They would smell fantastic for a few nights. I think I sleep better at night on line dried sheets and pillow cases.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I don't mean to usurp your thread, but I am looking for a recipe for home aid laundry detergent. Can anyone help? I have been hanging out clothes every chance I get. I love the smell and the feel. My mom used to put out the mattress's and pillows for "airing out." They would smell fantastic for a few nights. I think I sleep better at night on line dried sheets and pillow cases.

Homemade laundry detergent. This fills a 200 ounce detergent bottle. Please read all instructions before making.

What you Need:
1/3 Bar ZOTE soap (you can get this on the spanish isle at Dollar General for $1 a bar and you get 3 helpings from it)
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax (you can get this at you local grocer for about $3 in the cleaners isle)
1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (this should be near the Borax for about $3)
3 Quarts of boiling water (you will also need 5 more quarts of boiling water)
Big "old" pot

Directions:
Put 3 quarts of water in the pot and bring to a boil. Grate soap into the water and stir until melted. Add Borax and stir until dissolved and then add the washing soda and stir until dissolved. Cook for about 1 hour until it begins to resemble honey (it will stay pink). Put 1 quart of boiling water in a 5 gallon bucket and then add the mixture and mix well. Add 4 more quarts of boiling water and mix well. Let stand for 12 hours before using. Let cool for a couple of hours and then you can use the top of a milk jug for a funnel and fill your detergent bottle. Pour slowly. When it is set it will resemble chicken fat, but don;t be concerned, you can put some in a small pot and heat it up slowly on the stove top and bring it back to a liquid. This is what I do because I have a front load washer and it works well for me. Use 1/2 to 3/4 cup per load.

If you would like to have a scent, just add about 10 drops of any essential oil that you may have.

This is a low sudsing detergent which is great because it helps lengthen the life of your washer.


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Compliments of TheChickCrew

 

[Beekissed]

Another liquid laundry detergent(this one is a little less involved and doesn't have to be reheated for use.)

1/2 bar FelsNaptha
1/3 c. Borax
1/3 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (don't stress this one if you can't find it....just double up on the Borax and the recipe is just as effective!)

6 qts. water

Grate FN soap and combine all ingredients in the water, let heat until soap is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Separate the mixture into 2- 1gal. jugs (I use SUN detergent bottles, as the pour spout can be removed easily for taking the mixture, the cap is handy for measuring the detergent, and the opening just happens to fit my canning funnel!) I also keep 3 on hand. That way one is in use while 2 are empty for a new batch.

Fill to top with tap water and shake vigorously. Let sit for 24 hours. Shake well again before use. The whole soap-making process takes about 20 minutes to complete! It will have gelled clumps that break up easily and dissolve readily in your wash. This will not suds, leaves clothing soft with no need for softener (even line dried clothing) and no added smells. The recipe calls for using 1/3 c. for each load, but I just use the measuring cup on the top of the bottle. At these prices, you can use all you want!

Option: The original recipe calls for an optional essential oil scent but I have found, though it makes the detergent smell heavenly, it doesn't carry over to the clothing. If the detergent is working properly and breaks up oils in the clothing, a carrier oil for essential oil will break up and dissipate also. This soap smells wonderful on its own!

Depending on what you pay for your ingredients, this will yield 2 gal. of detergent for under $1!!! Each jug is a 40 load jug.....so 80 loads for under $1.


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[BrookValley]

Another liquid laundry detergent(this one is a little less involved and doesn't have to be reheated for use.)

1/2 bar FelsNaptha
1/3 c. Borax
1/3 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (don't stress this one if you can't find it....just double up on the Borax and the recipe is just as effective!)

6 qts. water

Grate FN soap and combine all ingredients in the water, let heat until soap is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Separate the mixture into 2- 1gal. jugs (I use SUN detergent bottles, as the pour spout can be removed easily for taking the mixture, the cap is handy for measuring the detergent, and the opening just happens to fit my canning funnel!) I also keep 3 on hand. That way one is in use while 2 are empty for a new batch.

Fill to top with tap water and shake vigorously. Let sit for 24 hours. Shake well again before use. The whole soap-making process takes about 20 minutes to complete! It will have gelled clumps that break up easily and dissolve readily in your wash. This will not suds, leaves clothing soft with no need for softener (even line dried clothing) and no added smells. The recipe calls for using 1/3 c. for each load, but I just use the measuring cup on the top of the bottle. At these prices, you can use all you want!

Option: The original recipe calls for an optional essential oil scent but I have found, though it makes the detergent smell heavenly, it doesn't carry over to the clothing. If the detergent is working properly and breaks up oils in the clothing, a carrier oil for essential oil will break up and dissipate also. This soap smells wonderful on its own!

Depending on what you pay for your ingredients, this will yield 2 gal. of detergent for under $1!!! Each jug is a 40 load jug.....so 80 loads for under $1.


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this is the recipe that I use. I couldn't find Fels Naptha locally, so I had to order online--which cost me exactly as much to ship it as it cost to actually buy the soap--so that added to my costs. Even still, when I broke the cost down for one batch it cost me exactly $1.27 for ~2 gallons. The site I got the recipe from said that this was 64 loads; if that is correct, than my cost per load is ~$.02. Not bad at all.... I have a high-efficiency front loading machine, and this detergent dissolves and rinses well. I've been using it on my cloth diapers (build up on diapers is a big uh-oh, it can really wreak havoc on them, causing them to wick moisture/leak and/or smell) and it's been going well.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, my mother and I have used Colgate Octagon laundry soap and even Zote when we couldn't get the FelsNaptha but nothing compares to the FN!

Try your True Value stores, that's where Mom gets hers. We have an old cash store (translate~Five and Dime) in the area, so I can get mine there but it isn't as cheap as at True Value!

All my line dried clothing is no longer "crunchy", sorry, BrookValley, no scratchy towels in this house!

If I have to dry in the drier, I use the "blue balls" from Walmart. No more fabric softener, no more strong perfumey smells, no more oil spots on the clothing....just soft and static free!

 

[kenman]

WOW, thanks! That sounds so easy!

 

[enjoy the ride]

I wonder about the issue of putting borax into the septic system for years. I know it is toxic but is it enough of a level to build up to a problem?
For all I know my purchased laudry soap has as much- I was just curious if any ever read anything about this?